ITV

Tag: Multi Screen Media

  • Hollywood’s wildchild Movies Now 2 HD to launch by July end

    Hollywood’s wildchild Movies Now 2 HD to launch by July end

    MUMBAI: Home to blockbuster movie titles, happy sitcoms, popular romcoms, cult classics- the Times Network’s English Entertainment Cluster has managed to find its space in the Indian cable TV and DTH sun despite it being a late entrant. And it has been continuously ramping up its offering targeted at discerning English content guzzling audiences.

    Now it has added another channel to that bouquet by announcing the launch of a new age Hollywood channel for Young India titled Movies Now 2 (MN2)

    With a library of 300 plus titles, the channel is slated to launch on 24 June 2016 at 9 pm. While the HD feed will roll out by end-July 2016, MN2 has signed a long term first output deal for the satellite rights with MGM which includes six to seven premieres a year. Apart for this, it has also partnered with Warner, SPN, NBCUniversal, etc for various hit titles.

    Positioning itself as the cinema of tomorrow, MN2 will have stylised content, right from a new identity and on-air look to an interesting library. It is also being promoted as a destination for some of the most high profile and appropriate titles across genres that are universally celebrated by youth. The Times Network has labelled MN2 as Hollywood’s wild brainchild channel with a ‘rebellious’ personality.

    Times Network English Entertainment Cluster senior VP and head Vivek Srivastava says he is excited about the launch as the channel has been honed for this free-spirited, opinionated, rebellious and “engaged youth looking for adventure, edgy and new-age stylised cinema. It is an all new Hollywood English channel experience for young India which is Sexy, Stylish and Smart.”

    But why choose the name Movies Now2? “Movies Now is an iconic name and we think it deserves an extension. Lot of research has been put into place before deciding this name. We want to go mass and make this colloquial,” explains Srivastava.

    Banking extensively on bold content, the channel plans to air it in programming blocks or on-air properties with quirky titles like Moviegasm which has been given a slot of 9 pm Monday to Friday; the Swag Nights segment broadcasts every Monday to Friday at 11 pm; BAE Love starts from June 2 every Saturday at 7 pm, while the weekend spoof festival 2wisted will telecast at 9 pm. Thug Life will showcase movies like Hangover III, Kick Ass 2, Bangkok Dangerous, the Oceans series, R.I.P.D, 21, etc on weekends at 11 pm.

    So have these segments been drawn up to give advertisers a reason to latch on to them? Clearing the doubt, Srivastava points out that hey have been created only to drive mass viewership. “The festivals are created for viewership and not sponsorship. But if this gets us business, there is no harm in that,” he jests. “Crisp segmentation, visible positioning backed with quality content makes a channel successful and that’s what we have done with MN2.”

    The channel will also premier a bevy of movies like Sin City 2, Hot Pursuit, 3 Days to Kill and Poltergeist to name a few. With no repeated content from the other two channels of the network, MN2 will have a mix of old and new content which will be routinely updated.

    Beaming through Intelsat, the new channel is part of the group’s English bouquet and carriage have been struck across all major DTH and cable TV platforms.

    With an already overcrowded movie space and with two movie channels already in the group, how will this channel have an edge over the rest? Srivastava believes the youth positioning and edgy indie and mainline films will do the trick. He asserts: “On the one hand we have roughly 400 Hindi/regional channels, but on the other hand we have a mere 40 English Entertainment channels. I think there is enormous space for multiple channels to be launched than what we have today.”

    The Moves Now 2 logo has been designed by Famous Innovations while the channel IDs and the promos were created in-house.

    Focussing on the beyond metro cities too, MN2 will extensively be promoted through traditional out of home (OOH) advertising. The OOH campaigns will begin from 28 July while marketing on television and print will be initiated with the launch of the channel. “We have always been aggressive with marketing our properties and we will continue to do so with MN2. Apart from the diverse promotions across our network, we have a robust TV and print advertising plan ready for action. We will significantly focus on digital platforms as well, voiced Srivastava.

    With approximately Rs 250-300 crore business in the English entertainment space, the group is just a few licences away from launching another English news and an entertainment channel.

    So watch this space for further action from the Times Network.

  • Hollywood’s wildchild Movies Now 2 HD to launch by July end

    Hollywood’s wildchild Movies Now 2 HD to launch by July end

    MUMBAI: Home to blockbuster movie titles, happy sitcoms, popular romcoms, cult classics- the Times Network’s English Entertainment Cluster has managed to find its space in the Indian cable TV and DTH sun despite it being a late entrant. And it has been continuously ramping up its offering targeted at discerning English content guzzling audiences.

    Now it has added another channel to that bouquet by announcing the launch of a new age Hollywood channel for Young India titled Movies Now 2 (MN2)

    With a library of 300 plus titles, the channel is slated to launch on 24 June 2016 at 9 pm. While the HD feed will roll out by end-July 2016, MN2 has signed a long term first output deal for the satellite rights with MGM which includes six to seven premieres a year. Apart for this, it has also partnered with Warner, SPN, NBCUniversal, etc for various hit titles.

    Positioning itself as the cinema of tomorrow, MN2 will have stylised content, right from a new identity and on-air look to an interesting library. It is also being promoted as a destination for some of the most high profile and appropriate titles across genres that are universally celebrated by youth. The Times Network has labelled MN2 as Hollywood’s wild brainchild channel with a ‘rebellious’ personality.

    Times Network English Entertainment Cluster senior VP and head Vivek Srivastava says he is excited about the launch as the channel has been honed for this free-spirited, opinionated, rebellious and “engaged youth looking for adventure, edgy and new-age stylised cinema. It is an all new Hollywood English channel experience for young India which is Sexy, Stylish and Smart.”

    But why choose the name Movies Now2? “Movies Now is an iconic name and we think it deserves an extension. Lot of research has been put into place before deciding this name. We want to go mass and make this colloquial,” explains Srivastava.

    Banking extensively on bold content, the channel plans to air it in programming blocks or on-air properties with quirky titles like Moviegasm which has been given a slot of 9 pm Monday to Friday; the Swag Nights segment broadcasts every Monday to Friday at 11 pm; BAE Love starts from June 2 every Saturday at 7 pm, while the weekend spoof festival 2wisted will telecast at 9 pm. Thug Life will showcase movies like Hangover III, Kick Ass 2, Bangkok Dangerous, the Oceans series, R.I.P.D, 21, etc on weekends at 11 pm.

    So have these segments been drawn up to give advertisers a reason to latch on to them? Clearing the doubt, Srivastava points out that hey have been created only to drive mass viewership. “The festivals are created for viewership and not sponsorship. But if this gets us business, there is no harm in that,” he jests. “Crisp segmentation, visible positioning backed with quality content makes a channel successful and that’s what we have done with MN2.”

    The channel will also premier a bevy of movies like Sin City 2, Hot Pursuit, 3 Days to Kill and Poltergeist to name a few. With no repeated content from the other two channels of the network, MN2 will have a mix of old and new content which will be routinely updated.

    Beaming through Intelsat, the new channel is part of the group’s English bouquet and carriage have been struck across all major DTH and cable TV platforms.

    With an already overcrowded movie space and with two movie channels already in the group, how will this channel have an edge over the rest? Srivastava believes the youth positioning and edgy indie and mainline films will do the trick. He asserts: “On the one hand we have roughly 400 Hindi/regional channels, but on the other hand we have a mere 40 English Entertainment channels. I think there is enormous space for multiple channels to be launched than what we have today.”

    The Moves Now 2 logo has been designed by Famous Innovations while the channel IDs and the promos were created in-house.

    Focussing on the beyond metro cities too, MN2 will extensively be promoted through traditional out of home (OOH) advertising. The OOH campaigns will begin from 28 July while marketing on television and print will be initiated with the launch of the channel. “We have always been aggressive with marketing our properties and we will continue to do so with MN2. Apart from the diverse promotions across our network, we have a robust TV and print advertising plan ready for action. We will significantly focus on digital platforms as well, voiced Srivastava.

    With approximately Rs 250-300 crore business in the English entertainment space, the group is just a few licences away from launching another English news and an entertainment channel.

    So watch this space for further action from the Times Network.

  • HD channel boom imperative despite high television costs: Chrome Data’s Pankaj Krishna

    HD channel boom imperative despite high television costs: Chrome Data’s Pankaj Krishna

    MUMBAI: With digitization, the HD wave is not only hitting the Hindi general entertainment channels, but regional channels as well.  The HD channel boom began in 2015, with several broadcasters launching new HD channels or HD versions of their existing SD channels.

    According to Chrome Data Analytics & Media, with a 6-7 million (60-70 lakh) subscriber base and a 50 per cent year-on-year on growth in market size, the path of high definition may be a step in the right direction for broadcasters.

    Amongst others, even the infamous OTT platform Netflix, offers a package for Rs.650 with HD viewing to cater to high-end consumers, being one of the key reasons that the C&S industry is increasingly using non-linear modes of television.

    The overall landscape of the industry has benefitted with the introduction of HD channels as an increase in HD penetration can be seen as a driver for subscription revenue growth.

    Subscription revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of 19 per cent to Rs 203 billion  (Rs 20,300 crore) driven by an increase in the declared subscriber base in DAS phase 3 and 4, increasing subscription revenue collected on ground due to channel packages and an increase in HD penetration.

    HD channels were first ad-free and solely dependent on subscription revenue, however, with time these channels have decided to monetise through introducing HD channel feeds separately for advertising revenues.

    Since the beginning of the year, several broadcasters have launched the HD version of their existing channels. After dissolving the 50:50 joint venture with Star India in 2012, Disney sports broadcaster ESPN had joined hands with Multi Screen Media (MSM) to launch two sports channel in India – Sony ESPN and Sony ESPN HD on 17 January.  Just a few days later, Times Network rolled out the HD feed of its English entertainment channel Romedy Now on 15 February.

    Viacom 18 also launched the HD feed of its music channel VH1 on 20 Feb.  In line with broadcasters tapping the high-definition space, Viacom 18 also geared up to launch its existing regional GECs (Colors Marathi, Colors Bangla and Colors Kannada), despite already having 5 HD channels currently on-air.

    Star India has successfully launched the HD feed of three of its regional SD channels, Star Jalsha and Star Jalsha Movies in HD (Bangla) with the Marathi GEC Star Pravah.

    Not only Hindi GECs or regional GECs, but now news channels have got onto to the HD wave.  On 17 April this year, ITV Network launched its English news channel NewsX in HD feed.

    Chrome Data Analytics & Media founder and CEO Pankaj Krishna explained, “The HD channel boom is imperative. The shift from standard to high definition is as organic as going from black and white to colour television. The cost of producing HD content has already been incurred, but the barrier to scale up lies in the hardware – procuring HD televisions is relatively expensive today. However, this is a cost which is already coming down and will further come down exponentially over the years, enabling more and more consumers to gain access to HD channels.”

    This ties in with the fact that rate for such channels is higher, seeing the nature of viewers of HD content. Thus, both subscription and advertising revenue have been impacted positively. While DTH operators are reaping the benefits of revenue growth owing to the ARPU and increased subscriber base with 15 percent of HD subscribers using DTH to view HD content, the only hurdle would be for MSOs to improve their marketing skills and upsell packages that constitute HD channels so that subscribers move to these packs.

    The realm that is high-definition brings along with it several benefits and certain challenges for stakeholders with more networks taking the leap to enter the market, hence changing the face of the quality of television content we watch today. 

     

  • HD channel boom imperative despite high television costs: Chrome Data’s Pankaj Krishna

    HD channel boom imperative despite high television costs: Chrome Data’s Pankaj Krishna

    MUMBAI: With digitization, the HD wave is not only hitting the Hindi general entertainment channels, but regional channels as well.  The HD channel boom began in 2015, with several broadcasters launching new HD channels or HD versions of their existing SD channels.

    According to Chrome Data Analytics & Media, with a 6-7 million (60-70 lakh) subscriber base and a 50 per cent year-on-year on growth in market size, the path of high definition may be a step in the right direction for broadcasters.

    Amongst others, even the infamous OTT platform Netflix, offers a package for Rs.650 with HD viewing to cater to high-end consumers, being one of the key reasons that the C&S industry is increasingly using non-linear modes of television.

    The overall landscape of the industry has benefitted with the introduction of HD channels as an increase in HD penetration can be seen as a driver for subscription revenue growth.

    Subscription revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of 19 per cent to Rs 203 billion  (Rs 20,300 crore) driven by an increase in the declared subscriber base in DAS phase 3 and 4, increasing subscription revenue collected on ground due to channel packages and an increase in HD penetration.

    HD channels were first ad-free and solely dependent on subscription revenue, however, with time these channels have decided to monetise through introducing HD channel feeds separately for advertising revenues.

    Since the beginning of the year, several broadcasters have launched the HD version of their existing channels. After dissolving the 50:50 joint venture with Star India in 2012, Disney sports broadcaster ESPN had joined hands with Multi Screen Media (MSM) to launch two sports channel in India – Sony ESPN and Sony ESPN HD on 17 January.  Just a few days later, Times Network rolled out the HD feed of its English entertainment channel Romedy Now on 15 February.

    Viacom 18 also launched the HD feed of its music channel VH1 on 20 Feb.  In line with broadcasters tapping the high-definition space, Viacom 18 also geared up to launch its existing regional GECs (Colors Marathi, Colors Bangla and Colors Kannada), despite already having 5 HD channels currently on-air.

    Star India has successfully launched the HD feed of three of its regional SD channels, Star Jalsha and Star Jalsha Movies in HD (Bangla) with the Marathi GEC Star Pravah.

    Not only Hindi GECs or regional GECs, but now news channels have got onto to the HD wave.  On 17 April this year, ITV Network launched its English news channel NewsX in HD feed.

    Chrome Data Analytics & Media founder and CEO Pankaj Krishna explained, “The HD channel boom is imperative. The shift from standard to high definition is as organic as going from black and white to colour television. The cost of producing HD content has already been incurred, but the barrier to scale up lies in the hardware – procuring HD televisions is relatively expensive today. However, this is a cost which is already coming down and will further come down exponentially over the years, enabling more and more consumers to gain access to HD channels.”

    This ties in with the fact that rate for such channels is higher, seeing the nature of viewers of HD content. Thus, both subscription and advertising revenue have been impacted positively. While DTH operators are reaping the benefits of revenue growth owing to the ARPU and increased subscriber base with 15 percent of HD subscribers using DTH to view HD content, the only hurdle would be for MSOs to improve their marketing skills and upsell packages that constitute HD channels so that subscribers move to these packs.

    The realm that is high-definition brings along with it several benefits and certain challenges for stakeholders with more networks taking the leap to enter the market, hence changing the face of the quality of television content we watch today. 

     

  • Ek India Happywala is what Sony wants India to sing during IPL

    Ek India Happywala is what Sony wants India to sing during IPL

    MUMBAI: The ballroom in the five star hotel was packed with journalists, jostling for space. The lights were dimmed. Toddlers waddle in cutely with white blossoms in their hands. They  distribute a flower each to the scribes present there –  the fragrance of peace travels all across the ballroom.A tall Sikh gentleman is escorted onto the stage, the LED backdrop lights up. Inscribed on the LED wall were the words:  Ek India…Happywala.

    And as the lights gradually come on, they reveal  the turbaned gentleman. He is none other than Sony Pictures Networks (SPN )-  erstwhile known as Multi Screen Media (MSM) – CEO NP Singh. And what just happened was the unveiling of the 2016 campaign of India’s longest short format league – the Indian Premier League which annually captures the hearts and minds of cricket crazy India. 
    Sony Max and Sony Max2 senior executive vice president Neeraj Vyas follows Singh on the stage,  and without any hemming and hawing proudly announces:  “The biggest brand of the country cannot stay away from the mood of the country.

    And that exactly underlines the campaign’s central theme: unity, harmony and happiness are the three pillars on which the entire Ek India….Happywala (One happy India) is based. 
    The 60 second TVC reflects on the ongoing intolerance brouhaha  in the country and shows how cricket and IPL can help things turn around positively.
    The film starts with greyscale still images of a rickshaw driver getting a thrashing, a horrified inked man and two youth battling it out with a hockey stick each in their hands. 

    The images move to color showing a youth engaged  in vandalising a yellow taxi. A cricket ball lands at  his feet and then follow a group of young kids asking for the ball. He stops smashing up the cab  and joins the young ones in their game. 

    That’s the power of the IPL and that’s what exactly the campaign wants to communicate. 

    The strong message is complemented by Salim and Sulaiman’s touchy background score. 

    “Sonal Dabral and his DDB Mudra team created the campaign for us, they did it last year too. We have also kept the same creators when it comes to music and if you see there is not much of a difference from our last year’s campaign India Ka Tyohaar. IPL is a catalyst that unites the nation and thats what the campaign communicates” explains Vyas.

    The campaign has already rolled out digitally and soon will mark its presence on television. 

    TV will remain the most spent medium when it comes to marketing as per Vyas’ assessment. “50 per cent of the spends will go on TV whereas the remaining 50 per cent will be spent on radio, digital and print” he adds.

    The campaign will have dubbed versions for the regional markets with the outdoors in key HSM markets providing recall support.. 

    “HSM plays a vital role when it comes to the ratings and hence our key focus will be on that market. But the initiatives that we launch will cater to pan India audiences as IPL is popular in every nook and corner. Radio will see a lot of jingles while interactive campaign will orchestrate the digital media initiatives” asserts Vyas.

    The campaign push and strategy will depend on the ICC T20 World Cup and India’s performance in the tournament. 

    “The cricketing mood will be determined by team India’s performance. So we will have to wait, watch, asses and then strategise. We have our plans chalked out, we will be present on our networks as well as on other networks too,”  reveals  Vyas.

    “They have made great use of the generic situations, if you see the car that is broken is a yellow taxi and the man is wearing glasses.  It connects you to Bengal where there is an election. The inked man is still fresh in every mind and the music speaks about unity, happiness and equality. You cannot ignore the negatives if you want to portray a positive scenario and hence usage of this scenario is nothing controversial in my opinion. I think it’s a good anthem and the smaller videos complement it nicely,” says an executive creative director of a reputed creative agency.

    “Whatever is done by us will have repercussions on the young children and that is why we have young children all throughout the video. We will perish soon, what matters is the future of the nation, the igniting minds,” concludes Vyas.

  • Ek India Happywala is what Sony wants India to sing during IPL

    Ek India Happywala is what Sony wants India to sing during IPL

    MUMBAI: The ballroom in the five star hotel was packed with journalists, jostling for space. The lights were dimmed. Toddlers waddle in cutely with white blossoms in their hands. They  distribute a flower each to the scribes present there –  the fragrance of peace travels all across the ballroom.A tall Sikh gentleman is escorted onto the stage, the LED backdrop lights up. Inscribed on the LED wall were the words:  Ek India…Happywala.

    And as the lights gradually come on, they reveal  the turbaned gentleman. He is none other than Sony Pictures Networks (SPN )-  erstwhile known as Multi Screen Media (MSM) – CEO NP Singh. And what just happened was the unveiling of the 2016 campaign of India’s longest short format league – the Indian Premier League which annually captures the hearts and minds of cricket crazy India. 
    Sony Max and Sony Max2 senior executive vice president Neeraj Vyas follows Singh on the stage,  and without any hemming and hawing proudly announces:  “The biggest brand of the country cannot stay away from the mood of the country.

    And that exactly underlines the campaign’s central theme: unity, harmony and happiness are the three pillars on which the entire Ek India….Happywala (One happy India) is based. 
    The 60 second TVC reflects on the ongoing intolerance brouhaha  in the country and shows how cricket and IPL can help things turn around positively.
    The film starts with greyscale still images of a rickshaw driver getting a thrashing, a horrified inked man and two youth battling it out with a hockey stick each in their hands. 

    The images move to color showing a youth engaged  in vandalising a yellow taxi. A cricket ball lands at  his feet and then follow a group of young kids asking for the ball. He stops smashing up the cab  and joins the young ones in their game. 

    That’s the power of the IPL and that’s what exactly the campaign wants to communicate. 

    The strong message is complemented by Salim and Sulaiman’s touchy background score. 

    “Sonal Dabral and his DDB Mudra team created the campaign for us, they did it last year too. We have also kept the same creators when it comes to music and if you see there is not much of a difference from our last year’s campaign India Ka Tyohaar. IPL is a catalyst that unites the nation and thats what the campaign communicates” explains Vyas.

    The campaign has already rolled out digitally and soon will mark its presence on television. 

    TV will remain the most spent medium when it comes to marketing as per Vyas’ assessment. “50 per cent of the spends will go on TV whereas the remaining 50 per cent will be spent on radio, digital and print” he adds.

    The campaign will have dubbed versions for the regional markets with the outdoors in key HSM markets providing recall support.. 

    “HSM plays a vital role when it comes to the ratings and hence our key focus will be on that market. But the initiatives that we launch will cater to pan India audiences as IPL is popular in every nook and corner. Radio will see a lot of jingles while interactive campaign will orchestrate the digital media initiatives” asserts Vyas.

    The campaign push and strategy will depend on the ICC T20 World Cup and India’s performance in the tournament. 

    “The cricketing mood will be determined by team India’s performance. So we will have to wait, watch, asses and then strategise. We have our plans chalked out, we will be present on our networks as well as on other networks too,”  reveals  Vyas.

    “They have made great use of the generic situations, if you see the car that is broken is a yellow taxi and the man is wearing glasses.  It connects you to Bengal where there is an election. The inked man is still fresh in every mind and the music speaks about unity, happiness and equality. You cannot ignore the negatives if you want to portray a positive scenario and hence usage of this scenario is nothing controversial in my opinion. I think it’s a good anthem and the smaller videos complement it nicely,” says an executive creative director of a reputed creative agency.

    “Whatever is done by us will have repercussions on the young children and that is why we have young children all throughout the video. We will perish soon, what matters is the future of the nation, the igniting minds,” concludes Vyas.

  • Sony BBC Earth is just an approval away: NP Singh

    Sony BBC Earth is just an approval away: NP Singh

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Network’s much anticipated factual entertainment channel Sony BBC Earth is soon to launch and is just an approval away. The channel will be launched in HD.

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com about the new launch, Sony Pictures Network (SPN) CEO N.P.Singh said, “We are ready with everything and just an approval away to launch Sony BBC Earth. It is a factual entertainment channel and BBC Earth will be the content provider. Later on, we might create original content but initially it will be BBC Earth. “

    “It will be an HD channel. 4K is gradually coming in but I think we are not yet ready. For now, we will be going with HD only,” he further added.

    In may be recalled that Multi Screen Media had joined hands with BBC Worldwide in 2015 to form the joint venture – Sony BBC Earth.

     The new channel will showcase the work of the world’s foremost factual film makers as it takes audiences on a journey of discovery. From the smallest creature under the microscope to the limitless expanses of space, the channel will bring viewers face to face with heart pounding action, mind blowing ideas and the wonders of being human.

  • Sony BBC Earth is just an approval away: NP Singh

    Sony BBC Earth is just an approval away: NP Singh

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Network’s much anticipated factual entertainment channel Sony BBC Earth is soon to launch and is just an approval away. The channel will be launched in HD.

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com about the new launch, Sony Pictures Network (SPN) CEO N.P.Singh said, “We are ready with everything and just an approval away to launch Sony BBC Earth. It is a factual entertainment channel and BBC Earth will be the content provider. Later on, we might create original content but initially it will be BBC Earth. “

    “It will be an HD channel. 4K is gradually coming in but I think we are not yet ready. For now, we will be going with HD only,” he further added.

    In may be recalled that Multi Screen Media had joined hands with BBC Worldwide in 2015 to form the joint venture – Sony BBC Earth.

     The new channel will showcase the work of the world’s foremost factual film makers as it takes audiences on a journey of discovery. From the smallest creature under the microscope to the limitless expanses of space, the channel will bring viewers face to face with heart pounding action, mind blowing ideas and the wonders of being human.

  • Has KPL opened a new door for cricket crazy broadcasters?

    Has KPL opened a new door for cricket crazy broadcasters?

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India (erstwhile Multi Screen Media) with its recent foray into regional cricket league has given the sports industry an alternative to mainstream international cricket. The network tasted success with the Karnataka Premier League (KPL) telecast live on Sony Six and Sony Kix, which fetched good viewership.

    Cricket in India has become an expensive proposition for broadcasters with acquisition costs soaring sky high. Even as the number of sportcasters with heavy purses increase in the television ecosystem, the 365 days calendar is turning out to be too small for them to accommodate all the cricketing action through the year.

    While kabaddi showed the nation that cricket was not the only sport that created the all-pervading excitement, in a country where cricket is as big as a religion, nothing can suppress it.

    Sports channels in India without cricket in its portfolio are still considered as wingless birds. The sport-broadcasting ecosystem is going to see a tsunami of developments in the near future. The ESPN – Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India (erstwhile Multi Screen Media) deal has already prepped the industry for what’s in store. The price tag attached to the broadcasting rights of the cash rich Indian Premier League (IPL) is being speculated to double if not more when they come up for fresh bidding in 2017. The rights currently vest with SPN India and were acquired after signing a $1 billion deal for 10 years.

    What’s more, it will be a tad too optimistic to assume that one of the fastest growing media conglomerate in India, Viacom 18 will not enter the sports space in the near future. Speculations are rife that the Peter Hutton led Eurosport has a keen eye on the Indian market and is planning an entry as early as sometime next year. Star India, which holds the rights to BCCI and ICC sporting events, is also likely to aggressively bid for the IPL. Star recently acquired IPL’s digital rights for three years for a mammoth sum of Rs 302.2 crore.

    Media mogul Subhash Chandra’s love for cricket is a well known fact. Chandra’s Ten Sports holds the broadcasting rights of multiple international cricket boards. Nimbus Communications’ Harish Thawani has also been taking baby steps towards cricket. Recently his sports channel Neo Sports acquired the broadcasting rights of Bangladesh Premier League.

    At a time like this, KPL has come as a new and lucrative avenue as far as cricket is concerned. Sony Six and Sony Kix business head Prasana Krishnan is of the opinion that the seriousness of the Karnataka State Cricket Association plays a vital role in garnering high viewership. “KPL is actually a very sincere effort from the association. They have been doing it with precision. Despite it being a low budgeted affair, it is being executed with sheer class,” he tells Indiantelevision.com.

    The timing of the league is also a vital factor as per Krishnan. “It is played post the monsoons and during that period there is neither much international cricket featuring India nor are there many big leagues scheduled. At a time like this, when you add good production value, it makes for a good property,” he informs.

    However, it does beg one vital question: Are there enough monetising avenues available? “KPL for us is an experiment. More than revenue, it’s a matter of extending our portfolio. The revenue will depend on quality. It depends on the players available. For now, it’s a portfolio formation for us. We will look into other aspects with time,” says Krishnan.

    Neo Sports EVP programming Mautik Tolia also feels that regional leagues can be a good prospect for broadcasters provided the expectations are realistic. “Regional cricket leagues helps broadcasters in reaching out to a new audience. Our foray into Bangladesh Premier League has given us a new set of audience from the West Bengal region. If there is an opportunity to acquire rights of any such regional cricket league, we will aggressively bid for it,” Tolia says.

    A senior media planner feels that if broadcasters package and promote regional cricket leagues, it can be a profitable proposition. “There are a good number of regional advertisers, who cannot afford the high ad rates of international cricket tourneys. If there is good return on investment, advertisers will like to be there. But the broadcaster will have to take the sport seriously,” the planner asserts on condition of anonymity.

    In the west, school and college championships in NBA and Rugby garner a huge traction. What’s more, sports broadcasters too back it aggressively and produce it with serious energy. However, the scenario is a little different with cricket in India as per Krishnan. “NBA or Soccer scout for players from schools and colleges. There is no other tournament involved in the system. With cricket, a cricketer has club and Ranji commitments, which are all 365 days engagements. So it will be unfair to compare this to the west. We will evaluate all possibilities and if we find a regional league, which has quality players involved in it and is played at a time when team India is not in action, we will go for it,” he affirms.

    It was recently reported that Chandra was planning to start a cricket league in Chandigarh. It remains to be seen how broadcasters react to SPN India’s start. One this is certain that channels need to look beyond international cricket to have the sport in their portfolio without burning a hole in their pockets. Who does it and on what scale is only a matter of wait and watch.

    Ratings of KPL 2015

  • Sony LIV launches movie subscription service at Rs 149 per month

    Sony LIV launches movie subscription service at Rs 149 per month

    MUMBAI: Along with having original digital content, catch-up content, sports and music, Multi Screen Media’s (MSM) over the top (OTT) platform Sony LIV has now expanded its offerings portfolio with the launch of a movie subscription service.

     

    The monthly subscription service pack has been priced at Rs 149, whereas the daily subscription package has been priced at Rs 9. 

     

    Taking advantage of the fact that India is among the countries with the fastest smartphone growth in Asia, Sony LIV is seeking to bolster its foothold in the online video space. 

     

    While globally, SVOD (subscription based video on demand) is poised to become the largest revenue source in 2020, overtaking OTT advertising, in India the market is at a nascent stage with a huge growth potential in the future. With mobile video traffic in India expected to be on a growth trajectory over the next three years, Sony LIV’s new initiative will let consumers stream movies at a nominal price.

     

    Sony LIV’s movie subscription service will be accessible to consumers through its website www.sonyliv.com or via the Sony LIV app available on Google Playstore (for Android users) and App Store for (iOS users).

     

    MSM executive vice president head – digital business Uday Sodhi said, “The movie subscription service is a convenient and affordable way for film lovers to enjoy their favorite blockbuster hits on their preferred digital devices. We have a wide assortment of cinematic treats on offer that users can access in a single click. The different subscription models ensure that they pay as per their consumption levels. The move is targeted towards making the digital platform the only destination that consumers need to turn to in order to fulfil the entire spectrum of their entertainment needs.” 

     

    With a range of movies from across genres, users can pay for the subscription through multiple e-payment options such as credit card, debit card, Internet banking and direct billing services. Within the subscription period, members can watch unlimited movies.

     

    The OTT platform is currently building on its catalogue with an aim to have a diverse range of movies for consumers. The platform is working towards delivering a comprehensive movie catalogue. “We are starting with building our Hindi movie catalogue and will later expand to English and other language movies too. The idea is to offer a range of movies for the consumers to consume in that subscription period. We are aiming to offer at least 1000 movies to our consumers,” Sodhi tells Indiantelevision.com.
     

    Talking about the voyage of the OTT platform since its inception, Sodhi informs that the main idea behind Sony LIV is to make it a complete entertainment destination. The OTT platform recently added sports to its content portfolio and is currently offering the Pro Wrestling League to its subscribers.